Sealing roller system for surface treatment gas reactors

Abstract

A surface treatment gas reactor features a reactor housing and a roller assembly for transporting a bi-dimensional material into and out of a gas reaction chamber. The reactor housing has a reactive gas inlet port and gas outlet or vacuum ports formed therein. Electrodes are mounted within the reactor housing between the gas inlet port and the gas outlet port such that a reactive gas admitted into the reaction chamber through the gas inlet port must pass through a plasma curtain generated by the electrodes before passing out of the outlet ports. The roller assembly includes a central roller having a grounded surface for transporting a bi-dimensional substrate through the reaction chamber on the surface thereof. The central roller is sized so as to reduce the active volume of the reaction chamber. Inside sealing rollers mounted adjacent to the central roller surface have compliant surfaces which form material transport contact points between the central roller and the inside sealing rollers. Outside sealing rollers having non-compliant surfaces are mounted adjacent to the inside sealing roller surfaces. Sealing blades mounted in the reactor housing create a low friction seal between the reactor housing and the outside sealing rollers in the roller assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas reactor for the plasma surface treatment of a continuous bi-dimensional substrate, comprising: (a) a reactor housing defining a reaction chamber on an interior thereof and an opening into the reaction chamber; and   (b) a roller assembly including: (i) a central roller having a central roller surface and central roller ends;   (ii) a first inside sealing roller having a first inside sealing roller surface and first inside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the central roller surface such that the first inside sealing roller surface is parallel to the central roller surface and forms a first transport contact point between the first inside sealing roller surface and the central roller surface;   (iii) a second inside sealing roller having a second inside sealing roller surface and second inside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the central roller surface such that the second inside sealing roller surface is parallel to the central roller surface and forms a second transport contact point between the second inside sealing roller surface and the central roller surface;   (iv) a first outside sealing roller having a first outside sealing roller surface and first outside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the first inside sealing roller surface such that the first outside sealing roller surface is parallel to the first inside sealing roller surface to create a seal between the first outside sealing roller surface and the first inside sealing roller surface;   (v) a second outside sealing roller having a second outside sealing roller surface and second outside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the second inside sealing roller surface such that the second outside sealing roller surface is parallel to the second inside sealing roller surface to create a seal between the second outside sealing roller surface and the second inside sealing roller surface; wherein the roller assembly is attached in a sealed relation to the reactor housing to seal the opening in the reactor housing.       
     
     
       2. The gas reactor of claim 1 comprising additionally at least one vacuum port formed in the reactor housing, a gas inlet port formed in the reactor housing, and an electrode mounted in the reaction chamber between the gas inlet port and the vacuum port such that a gas admitted into the reaction chamber through the gas inlet port passes through a plasma generated by the electrode before being evacuated from the reaction chamber through the vacuum port. 
     
     
       3. The gas reactor of claim 1 wherein the central roller surface is made of a non-compliant material. 
     
     
       4. The gas reactor of claim 3 wherein the central roller is made of stainless steel. 
     
     
       5. The gas reactor of claim 1 comprising additionally means for connecting the central roller surface to ground. 
     
     
       6. The gas reactor of claim 1 wherein the first and second inside sealing roller surfaces are made of a compliant material. 
     
     
       7. The gas reactor of claim 6 wherein the first and second inside sealing roller surfaces are made of soft rubber. 
     
     
       8. The gas reactor of claim 1 wherein the first and second outside sealing roller surfaces are made of a non-compliant material. 
     
     
       9. The gas reactor of claim 8 wherein the first and second outside sealing rollers are made of stainless steel. 
     
     
       10. The gas reactor of claim 1 comprising additionally a sealing blade mounted in a fixed relation to the reactor housing against each of the first and second outside sealing roller surfaces to create a seal between the sealing blades and the first and second outside sealing roller surfaces. 
     
     
       11. The gas reactor of claim 10 wherein the sealing blades are made of Teflon. 
     
     
       12. The gas reactor of claim 1 comprising additionally a sealing plate mounted in a fixed relation to the reactor housing against each end of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers to create a seal between the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers and the sealing plate. 
     
     
       13. The gas reactor of claim 12 wherein the sealing plate is made of Teflon. 
     
     
       14. The gas reactor of claim 12 wherein the sealing plate is pressed against the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers by an end wall attached to the reactor housing, such that sufficient compressive force is provided between the sealing plate and the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers to create a seal between the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers and the sealing plate without preventing rotation of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers and the first and second outside sealing rollers. 
     
     
       15. A gas reactor for the plasma surface treatment of a continuous bi-dimensional substrate, comprising: (a) a reactor housing defining a reaction chamber on an interior thereof and an opening into the reaction chamber;   (b) a roller assembly attached in a sealed relation to the reactor housing to seal the opening in the reactor housing, including: (i) a central roller having a central roller surface and central roller ends;   (ii) a first inside sealing roller having a compliant first inside sealing roller surface and first inside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the central roller surface such that the first inside sealing roller surface is parallel to the central roller surface and forms a first transport contact point between the first inside sealing roller surface and the central roller surface;   (iii) a second inside sealing roller having a compliant second inside sealing roller surface and second inside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the central roller surface such that the second inside sealing roller surface is parallel to the central roller surface and forms a second transport contact point between the second inside sealing roller surface and the central roller surface;   (iv) a first outside sealing roller having a non-compliant first outside sealing roller surface and first outside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the first inside sealing roller surface such that the first outside sealing roller surface is parallel to the first inside sealing roller surface to create a seal between the first outside sealing roller surface and the first inside sealing roller surface;   (v) a second outside sealing roller having a second non-compliant outside sealing roller surface and second outside sealing roller ends and positioned adjacent to the second inside sealing roller surface such that the second outside sealing roller surface is parallel to the second inside sealing roller surface to create a seal between the second outside sealing roller surface and the second inside sealing roller surface;     (c) a sealing blade mounted in a fixed relation to the reactor housing against each of the first and second non-compliant outside sealing roller surfaces to create a seal between the sealing blades and the first and second non-compliant outside sealing roller surfaces; and   (d) a sealing plate mounted in a fixed relation to the reactor housing against each end of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers to create a seal between the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers and the sealing plate.   
     
     
       16. The gas reactor of claim 15 comprising additionally at least one vacuum port formed in the reactor housing, a gas inlet port formed in the reactor housing, and an electrode mounted in the reaction chamber between the gas inlet port and the vacuum port such that a gas admitted into the reaction chamber through the gas inlet port passes through a plasma generated by the electrode before being evacuated from the reaction chamber through the vacuum port. 
     
     
       17. The gas reactor of claim 15 wherein the central roller surface is made of a non-compliant material. 
     
     
       18. The gas reactor of claim 17 wherein the central roller is made of stainless steel. 
     
     
       19. The gas reactor of claim 15 comprising additionally means for connecting the central roller surface to ground. 
     
     
       20. The gas reactor of claim 15 wherein the first and second inside sealing roller surfaces are made of soft rubber. 
     
     
       21. The gas reactor of claim 15 wherein the first and second outside sealing rollers are made of stainless steel. 
     
     
       22. The gas reactor of claim 15 wherein the sealing blades are made of Teflon. 
     
     
       23. The gas reactor of claim 15 wherein the sealing plate is made of Teflon. 
     
     
       24. The gas reactor of claim 12 wherein the sealing plate is pressed against the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers by an end wall attached to the reactor housing, such that sufficient compressive force is provided between the sealing plate and the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers to create a seal between the ends of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers, and the first and second outside sealing rollers and the sealing plate without preventing rotation of the central roller, the first and second inside sealing rollers and the first and second outside sealing rollers. 
     
     
       25. A gas reactor for the plasma surface treatment of a continuous bi-dimensional substrate, comprising: (a) a reactor housing defining a reaction chamber on an interior thereof and an opening into the reaction chamber;   (b) a roller assembly attached in a sealed relation to the reactor housing to seal the opening in the reactor housing and including a central roller having a grounded central roller surface extending into the reaction chamber;   (c) at least one vacuum port formed in the reactor housing;   (d) a gas inlet port formed in the reactor housing; and   (e) an electrode mounted in the reaction chamber adjacent to but not in contact with the grounded central roller surface and positioned between the gas inlet port and the vacuum port such that a gas admitted into the reaction chamber through the gas inlet port passes through a plasma generated between the electrode and the grounded central roller surface before being evacuated from the reaction chamber through the vacuum port.